Category Archives: General Knowledge

Today, we’re going to look at how one smart home enthusiast has used the best smart home tech to create a remarkable experience. Over the past year, I’ve been releasing DIY smart home how to videos and home automation reviews.

Use smart home automation to help people with disabilities. In this episode, we help Bob, a quadriplegic, simplify his life with the use of smart home tech. Being disabled shouldn’t mean that accessibility is sacrificed, not in today’s day and age. Today we discuss how a simple solution using the Samsung SmartThings hub 2.0, GE In-Wall Smart Switches, the Logitech Harmony Hub and an Amazon Echo Dot can be a low cost setup to improve accessibility for those in wheelchairs or assisted living situations.

The Amazon Echo has been rapidly gaining in popularity and it’s hard to ignore all the buzz. If you’re like a lot of people that I talk to, you wondering if it’s the right thing for you. The fact is, if you don’t have an Echo, it may be a bit difficult to think about what you would do with one.

Here are the essential videos you should watch to get started setting up your smart home.

1. The first thing you will need is a hub. There are many on the market today. I personally use the Wink Hub. Here is an overview of the Wink Hub from CNet.

2. Once you have your hub, you will need something to control. Here is my personal top 5 list of Smart Home devices.

3. To get your feet wet, I recommend that you start with a simple plugin module. They are the easiest to install. From there you will get plenty of ideas for what to do next. A look at two types of plugin modules can be found here.

In your search for affordable home automation, it’s a good idea to understand the evolution of the technology. Most people believe that home automation is expensive, or that achieving your smart home goals is financially out of reach. Both of these assumptions are false. This video explains the 40 year evolution of the affordable smart home components and demonstrates how easy it is to get started.